Low Carb Diets Facts & Myths

Low carb diets have been around for decades. Many people claim they follow a low carb diet including keto and Paleo and have achieved amazing results. Most claims are anecdotal and unverifiable. If eating a low carb diet is the path to better health, why has the number of overweight and obese Americans increased instead of decreased?

Many low carb diets restrict or eliminate one or more plant foods for a variety of reason including being the cause of Americas obesity and diabetes epidemic. Most studies show people eating high carb diets tend to maintain a healthy weight and live longer, healthier lives.

In this video:

• What are carbohydrates? 00:48
• Carbohydrate health benefits. 2:21
• Why go low carb? 4:21
• How low is low carb? 5:19
• How many carbohydrates do you need? 7:14
• Carbs and antinutrients. 9:40
• Cut natural or manmade carbs? 12:25
• The final choice is yours. 13:42

Essential Nutrients Facts & Myths

Essential nutrients must come from your diet or dietary supplements because your body cannot make them. They include carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and micro-nutrients. There are many myths about essential nutrients promoted by creators of fad diets and dietary supplements.

In this video:

• What are nutrients? 00:43
• What makes a nutrient essential? 1:18
• Best sources for essential nutrients. 3:08
• Sources of nonessential nutrients. 8:36
• Recommended dietary allowances (RDA) versus percent daily value. 10:50

Losing Weight: Diet vs. Exercise

Millions of people need to lose excess weight. There are dozens of diet plans and fitness devices that claim will produce rapid weight loss. But, which is best? This video shares the differences between losing weight by reducing calories compared to increasing physical actives.

In this Video:

• Diet and weight loss. 00:37
• Exercise and weight loss. 7:25
• Combining exercise and diet. 10:40

Side Reclining Big-Toe Hold

Side Reclining Big-Toe Hold is a variation of Reclining Big-Toe Hold.

It provides the same physical and mental benefits of Reclining Big-Toe Hold.

You can also modify this pose using a strap . Place the soul of your foot against a strap and lift your leg, using one hand and keep your arm and leg straight as as you lift your leg as high as is comfortable for you. Then rotate your leg out to your side.

Do not worry if using a strap is the only way you can do Side Reclining Big Toe Hold. There are many yoga poses that are beyond the limits of some people.

English Name: Side Reclining Big-Toe Hold

Sanskrit Name: Supta Parsva Padangusthasana

Difficulty Level: 4

Start Position: Reclining on your back

Instructions:

Step 1.

Bend your right knee and curl your first two fingers of your right hand around your big toe.

Step 2.

Rest your left hand on your left hip. Straighten your right leg upward towards your head.

Step 3.

Rotate your right arm and leg to your right.

Step 4.

Hold the pose for several breathes or as long as it feels comfortable. Release and repeat on the other side.

Physical Benefits:

  • Stretches & maintains hip flexibility
  • Stretches wrists, arms, and legs
  • Opens up the chest
  • Improves lung capacity
  • Helps pituitary and thyroid function
  • Reduces fatigue

Mental Benefits

  • Reduces stress
  • Calms the mind
  • Relieves mild anxiety & depression

Contraindications:

  • Pregnancy
  • Low back or spine injury
  • Hip or shoulder injury
  • Hand injury

Diet, Calories & Portion Control

Most people are overweight or obese due to diets providing more calories than their bodies need to maintain a healthy weight. With foods available 24/7 in many countries or while on vacation, it is easy to add a few extra pounds.

Adding a few extra pounds is not inevitable. It is due to a lack of understanding how easy it is to gain weight compared to losing weight.

While most people can lose weight on any diet, the secret is keeping the weight from coming back. Replacing a 3,000 calories high carb diet with a 3,000 calories low carb diet will not produce the miraculous weight loss some diet claim.

Too lose weight and keep it off on any diet requires controlling calories. Controlling calories requires limiting portion size.

Supersized portions usually results in supersized people.

In this video:

• Diet versus dieting. 00:41
• Diet and calories. 3:29
• Can you eat foods you love and lose weight? 9:07
• Eating more food and less calories. 14:22

Understand And Using Nutrition Facts Labels

Nutrition Facts labels are used in many countries around the world. The labels are controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and required on most processed foods. This video shares how to use nutrition labels and the differences between the 2006 and 2016 labels.

In this video:

• Why you should use nutrition labels. 1:59
• Differences between 2006 & 2016 labels. 4:13
• Who determines what nutrition information is included? 7:32
• Manipulating serving sizes and nutrition information. 8:32
• The consumers need to know. 12:31

Wax Paper vs. Parchment Paper

Many many decades wax paper was used for home cooking and baking. Higher cost parchment paper was primarily used by professional chefs and balers.

Today, rolls and sheets of parchment paper are available in most stores or can be ordered online.

Both have advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage is the higher cost of parchment paper. But unlike wax paper, parchment paper can be reused for some applications like baking cookies.

In fact, many brands of wax paper now come with a warning to not use for high heat applications like baking cookies and cakes.

This video shares:

• What is wax paper? 00:34
• What is parchment paper? 1:07
• Wax and parchment paper differences. 1:55
• Wax paper advantages and disadvantages. 5:34
• Parchment advantages and disadvantages. 6:19

Reclining Big-Toe Hold

Reclining Big Toe Hold stretches your leg and arm muscles. This is a moderately difficult pose and can be challenging if you have limited arm and leg flexibility.

If you you do not have the flexibility to keep your leg and arm straight, use a strap. Place the soul of your foot against a strap and lift your leg, using one hand, keeping your arm and leg straight as high as comfortably possible. Your leg and arm flexibility will increase with time and practice.

Do not worry if using a strap is the only way you can do Reclining Big Toe Hold. There are many yoga poses that are beyond the limits of some people. I know from personal experience.

English Name: Reclining Big Toe Hold

Sanskrit Name: Supta Padangusthasana

Difficulty Level: 5

Start Position: Reclining on your back

Instructions:

Step 1.

Bend your right knee and curl your first two fingers of your right hand around your big toe.

Step 2.

Rest your left hand on your left leg. Straighten your right leg upward towards your head.

Step 3.

Hold the pose for several breathes or as long as it feels comfortable.

Step 4.

Release and repeat on the other side.

Physical Benefits:

  • Stretches & maintains hip flexibility
  • Stretches wrists, arms, and legs
  • Opens up the chest
  • Improves lung capacity
  • Helps pituitary and thyroid function
  • Reduces fatigue

Mental Benefits

  • Reduces stress
  • Calms the mind
  • Relieves mild anxiety & depression

Contraindications:

  • Pregnancy
  • Low back or spine injury
  • Hip or shoulder injury
  • Hand injury

Big Toe Hold

Big Toe Hold is a sitting balance pose that helps improve mental focus and physical balance. Maintaining your balance is important as you age. Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death for people over 65. Other balance poses include Boat and Half Boat, Tree, Chair, Dancer, Eagle, Warrior III, and Half Moon.

English Name: Big Toe Hold

Sanskrit Name: Ubhaya Padangusthasana

Difficulty Level: 5

Start Position: Staff

Instructions:

Step 1.

Bend your knees and curl the first two fingers of each hand around your right and left big toe.

Step 2.

Straighten your leg balancing on your sits bones.

Step 3.

Gaze at your big toes.

Step 4.

Hold the pose for a few breaths or as long as it feels comfortable. Release and return to Staff pose. Repeat if desired.

Physical Benefits:

  • Increase core strength
  • Increases flexibility
  • Opens up the chest
  • Improves digestions
  • Strengthens legs, arm, hips, abdomen, and arms
  • Improves posture

Mental Benefits

  • Increases focus
  • Improves concentration
  • Relieves mild anxiety & depression

Contraindications:

  • Painfull coxics
  • Pregnancy (3rd trimester)
  • Low back pain
  • Arm, leg, or shoulder injury

Understanding & Using Nutrition Facts Labels

How to use nutrition facts labels to make healthy food choices and avoid food manufacturers attempts to make some prepared foods appear healthier than they really are.

In this video:

• Why have nutrition facts labels?
• Why you should use nutrition labels.
• Differences between 2006 & 2016 labels.
• Who determines what nutrition information is included?
• Manipulating serving sizes and nutrition information.
• The consumers need to know.

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